482 ANGEL PAVEMENT

"Yes, and he agreed to meet me half-way. I agree to
pay this commission over to him as soon as possible, and
he'll sign an agreement, promising not to take the agency
elsewhere and to see that we keep the agency on herb if
he decides to clear out. That's fair enough, isn't it?
You can't get away from that. In fact, we stand to gain
by this new arrangement, don't we? We're only paying
out, a little in advance, what's due to him, and on the
other hand, we make the business safe for ourselves. If
Golspie goes after he's signed this agreement-and I'm
going over to my solicitors this afternoon to have it
drafted out; we'll do it properly—then he leaves us with
the new business in our hands, a*id all I can say is, the
sooner he goes the better. And I'll tell you another
thing, Smeeth. When he's signed this agreement, he's
going to drop some of his little blighterish tricks, that
nasty jeering tone of his, because I'm not going to put
up with it any longer. I shan't need to, after this. By
George!" and Mr. Dersingham's voice had a triumphant
ring now and he tried to look like a very crafty man of
affairs. 'I'd never thought of that, not properly. It
didn't occur to me that, after this, if he doesn't like it,
he can lump it, if you see what I mean. Hell have to
change his tune, thank God!"

"Yes, I see, Mr. Dersingham," said Mr. Smeeth slowly,
"It's funny he didn't think of that, too, isn't it?"

"Oh, he wants his money in his pocket. That's what
he's thinking about. And then he probably imagines I
like that nice cheerful manner of his, and like to be told
every day or so that if it hadn't been for him the fira
wouldn't be paying its way. I tell you, these louel
bounders nevei think what's going on in other people's
minds."